Abstract: Staffing patterns is the number and types or categories of staff assigned to the particular wards of a hospital. Staffing patterns that accommodate imbalanced patient-to- nurse ratios negatively affect nursing staff. This is demonstrated by increased emotional stress, physical exhaustion, high nurse turnover and consequences of poor patient outcomes. The high patient-to-nurse ratios and the profitability factor of private hospitals virtually dictate the type of staffing patterns that are used in these wards. As such, the current staffing patterns appear to require nursing staff to work longer shifts and overtime without much choice, with effects highlighted above. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe nurses’ experiences regarding staffing patterns in the surgical wards of a private hospital in Gauteng in order to develop recommendations for staffing patterns in these wards. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was used. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 focused on the exploration and description of nurses’ experiences regarding staffing patterns in the surgical wards of the private hospital in Gauteng. Phase 2 focused on the development of recommendations for the staffing patterns from data collected in phase 1 with literature control to get more meaning from the data. Data was collected by means of in-depth semi-structured individual interviews from a purposive sample of professional nurses working in the surgical wards of this hospital. Data was analysed using Tesch’s method of qualitative thematic analysis. Principles of trustworthiness and ethical principles to ensure the protection of human rights were applied throughout the study. The findings of the study revealed one central theme, which reflected that participants experienced the staffing patterns of the surgical wards negatively. Two main themes emerged as that nurses had negative experiences as well as negative emotional experiences related to staffing patterns. Recommendations for staffing patterns of the surgical wards were developed...